leadley



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. E. LEADLEY.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

NO. 289,281. Patented Nov. 27, 1883.

.. 1 x, l I! (No Model.) I s Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. E. LEADLEY. PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUPAOTURI'NGGAS.

No. 289,281, .Paiiented Nov. 27 1883.

(No Model.) A 6 SheetS Sheet 3.

A J. E. LEADLEY.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

No. 289,281. Patented Nov. 27, 1883.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. E. LEADLEY. PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFAG TURING GAS. A No. 289,281. A Patented Nov. 27, 1883;

(No Model.) A I 6 Sheets-Shet 6.

J. E. LEADLBY.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFAGTURINGI GAS.

No. 289,281. Patented N0v.27, 1888.

ZZA46%@ n PETERS, Pbolwulhognphar, wman n. c

UNiTED STATES JAMEs Ernannnr, or CAMDEN,

NEYV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO JOHN HAN'LON, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

i PROCESS OF AND'AP PARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 2s9,2e1, dated Nor ember 27,1883.

Application filed July 2, 1883. (No model) To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. LEADLEY, of Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Process of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Heating and Illuminating Gas; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of i the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification. i

This invention relates to the manufacture of illuminating and heating'gas, first, bythe distillation of bituminous or soft coal in furnaces and at a suitable temperature to preserve the resulting hyrocarbon gas and oily vapors from destructive decomposition; second, by the decomposition of steam by means of the hot coke produced'frera the soft coal, third, by the va porization ofliqu'idhydrocarbon and fourth,

V by combining the gases from the coahthe hydrogen and carbonic oxideresulting from the decomposed steam, and the gas and vapors from the hydrocarbon liquid, and converting them into a fixed gas in a heated fixingchambodies of fuel are used in separate furnaces or generating chambers.

her.

In carrying out my invention two beds or They are alternately heated up or raised to a state of incandescence by an airblast, the hotter one being used for decomposing steam, while the one'at lower temperature is used for distilling bituminous or soft coal, which is dropped upon the body of fuel in small charges, as required, while at the same time the hot gases from the steam are passed up through the distilling coal for mixing with and carrying off the rich carbureted hydrogen gas andvapors being evolved,

and conveying them into the combining and fixing chamber where a fixed 'gas'is produced. If illuminating gas is being manufactured, hydrocarbon oil is admitted into the coal-distilling-chamber for better enriching the water gases, and the resulting vapors are united with the gases from the decomposed steam and from the coal,= andwith them =converted' into a fixedgas. 7 i

apparatus.

-An important feature in my process and apparatus is that of providing one highlyheated chamber and bed of fuel in which the steam is decomposed, and one chamber and body 01 fuel at a lower temperature, in which the soft coal is distilled and the oil vaporized. After the body of fuel has been reduced in temperature in'the first chamber by the decomposition of steam, and the soft coal has been reduced to coke in the second chamber, then the steam is shut off and the airblast admitted to the second chamber till the bed of coke is raised to a state of incandescence. The air-blast is also admitted to the first chamber, if found desirable, for raisingits temperature for distilling soft coal. Then the manufacture of gas is resumed by decomposing steam in the chamber most highly heated, and distilling soft coal in the chamber at a lower temperature, and enriching and fixing the gases, as before explained;

During the operation of heating up one or both of the-bodies of fuel-by the admission of air-blasts thereto, the gaseous products rising from the fuel are burned by an air-blast and utilized in heating up the steam-superheaters and the gas fixingchamber. The bituminous coal is charged'into the distillingfurnace by a tight charging apparatus of peculiar construction, claimed in another application, so that no heat is lost and no air admitted dur-- ing the charging operation. r

My apparatus comprises two decomposing and generating furnaces, each having a steamsuperheater in its top and a bed of fuel in its base, a coal-charging apparatus at the top, and connecting air, steam, and oil supply pipes, a fixing-chamber containing refractory mate rial connecting with the generatingfurnaces near their tops, an interposed water-box containin g water-cooled valves in the connecti ngpipes, and a hydraulic seal-box and connecting-pipes.

' Having stated the general nature of my process and apparatus, I will now moreparticularly describe them .withreference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my Fig. 2 represents a vertical section through the two generators, illustrating the operation conducted from left to right through the generators. Fig. 3 represents a similar sectional view, illustrating the operation conducted from right to left through the generators. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of one of the generators and a vertical section of the fixing-chamber and the hydraulic sealbox. Fig. 5 represents a top plan view. Fig. 6 represents a horizontal section on the line as m, Fig. 1, through the tops of the generators, the base of the fixing-chamber, and the waterbox containing the water-cooled valves. Fig. 7 represents a horizontal section on the line 3 y through the base of the generators.

In the following description the same letters of reference designate like parts in all the fig ures of the drawings.

The two generating and decomposing furnaces A and A are constructed of fire-brick, and are covered by tight jackets composed of riveted plates of boiler-iron. Each has a fuelchamber, B B, provided with grates b b, and a steam-superheating chamber, 0 0, above, separated from the fuel chamber by a perforated arch, c 0'. The steam-superheating chambers are partially filled with refractory brickwork laid in the usual form of regenerators and resting on the perforated arches c c. The upper part of each chamber is charged with iron scraps or turnings d d, resting upon the brick-work. A vertical retort or chargingchute, a a, extends centrally through each superheating-chamber, through which the coal and oil are supplied to the distilling-chambers. An oil pipe, la 70, connects with each chute a a, and steam-supply pipes Z Z connect with the top of each superheatingchamber, by which steam is admitted into the iron scraps. The oil is supplied from a tank or reservoir, K, and is forced up by the pressure of water admitted at the bottom of the tank by a pipe. 10, from an elevated water-tank, W, having an inlet-pipe connecting with the water-main or other source of supply. The chambers B B are connected with each other by a pipe, D, opening below the grate of" each for the passage of gases from one to the other in either direction, as shown by the arrows in Figs. 2 and 3.

Each fuel-chamber is provided at its upper contracted portion with inlet-passages G G, having tight-fitting caps g g, for the insertion of bars to remove clinkers and to stir and break up the coke or coal in case it becomes necessary. The passages are given an inclined direction for permitting a better operation of the bars. Doors d d are provided, opening into the ash-pit of each furnace for the removal of ashes, &c., and doors at m are provided in the tops oi the superheating-chambers for the insertion and removal of the iron scraps or turnings. An air blast pipe, V, connects by branches V V with the ash-pit and the top of each decomposing chamber B B, and the branches are provided with gate-valves v c, for controlling the admission of the blast for blowing up the fuel and for burning the gaseous products above the fuel for heating the superheaters and the fixing -chamber. The coal-charging apparatus X X is mounted above each generator and is composed of cylinders mounted on a revolving disk, so that each cylinder may be made to register with the chute a or a, which extends down through the superheaters and the arched partitions 0 v0' to the top of the fuel-chambers. The revolving disks carrying the cylinders also carry the smokestacks x :0, having close-fitting caps at their tops for the discharge of products of combustion when desired. When it is desired to discharge products of combustion through the stacks, they are turned to register with the chutes a a. The charging apparatus is covered by claims in a previous application. The generating-furnaces are connected at the tops of their superheating-chamber C G by pipes or flues E E E", (see Figs. 2, 4, and 6,) with the base of the fixing-chamber F, below its perforated supporting-arch f. The pipes E E extend into the water-box H, where each is provided with a water-cooled valve, 6 e, of peculiar construction, and forming the subject of claims in a separate application. In the box the pipes E E connect at right angles with the pipe E", leading back into the fixing-chamber. The fixing-chamber F is constructed of firebrick, covered by a jacket composed of riveted plates of boiler-iron, and it is mounted upon the columns h, resting upon the brick or stone foundation T. It is filled with regenerator brick-work above the perforated supportingarch f, and is provided with a central educ tion-pipe, f, for gas, extending down into the hydraulic seal-box I, and is also provided at the top with a smoke-stack, Z, having atightfitting cap, Z. An air-blast pipe, 'V, having a valve, '0, connects with the base of chamber F, for supplying air to support combustion of gases 'used in heating up the chamber. A pipe, I, conducts the gas from the hydraulic sealbox I to the purifier or scrubber or holder, as desired.

Having described the construction of my improved apparatus, I will now describe the operation carried out thereinfor the production of illuminating or heating gas, as follows:

The entire apparatus is first heated up by internal combustion of fuel and gaseous products to the desired temperature for successfully manufacturing gas by the decomposition of steam, distillation of soft or bituminous coal, vaporization of oil, and the combining and fixing of the gases and vapors from the different sources, each chamber being heated to the particular degree best suited for performing its particular function. Fires are first kindled in the chambers B B of the generators with anthracite coal or coke, the fuel being gradually fed in and the combustion thereof urged by air blasts admitted through pipesV V till two beds of highly-heated fuel, each two or more feet thick, are formed. During this operation of firing up, the gaseous pro- .ducts, containing a valuable per cent. of carbonic oxide, are burned by the admissionof air-blasts through pipes Viabove the fuel, and

i if desired, the gaseous products maybe conducted, previous to their combustion, through chambers O 0 directly into the fixing-chamber F, and there burned. The combustible gases may be burned partially in chambers G O and partially in chamber F, as found dc sirableor necessary for heating the chambers to the fpro'per degree for superheating steam andffixing the gases and vapors. instance the bed of fuel in chamberB, which is first used to decompose steam, is raised to ber B is raised to a lower temperature, only sufficiently high to properly distill bituminous coal. The air-blasts are then shut off and a the caps at the tops of the smoke-stacks are closed. Steam is then admitted by a number a of pipes, Z, into the highly-heated iron-scrap orturnings at the top of chamber 0, and is therein partially decomposed, hydrogen being set free. Then the hydrogen and undecomposed steam are passed down'through the highly-heated bed of fuel in chamber B, Where decomposition is completed, and the resulting hot gases are conducted, as illustrated in Fig. 2, in the.directions of the arrows, into the bed of fuel in chamber B, where any carbonic acid in the gases is converted into carbonic oxide. About the time that steam is admitted to the top of chamber O,a charge of soft coal is dropped through chute it upon the cooler bed of fuel in chamber B, and the distillation thereof commenced. A small stream of oil, if required for enriching the gases, is also passed into the chute and vaporized. The

hot-water gases, before mentioned, pass up through the distilling bituminous coal and carry off the rich carbureted hydrogen gas and vapors being evolved therefrom, andalso unite With the vapors or gas from the oil, and they all pass through chamber 0 into the fixing-chamber F, where they are converted into a fixed homogeneous gas of high candle power.

The operation just described is continued till the bodies of fuel and the superheating and fixing chambers are reduced too low in temperature for successfully carrying on the operation of making gas. Then the steam and oil are shut off, and the air-blasts are again admitted for heating up the beds of fuel and the superheating and fixing chambers in the manner previously described, the cap Z at the top of stack Z being at the time opened for conducting off the waste products of combustion. During the period that the air-blasts are admitted to both furnaces A A, both of the valves In the first :e c are opened for admitting the gaseous products into fixing-cha1nber F. During the period in which steam is passed into chamber (1, and the gases are passed from left to right through chambers B and O, as illustrated in Fig. 2, valve 6 is closed and valve 6 is opened, and when the gases are passed in the reher 0, are most highly heated, as they are now to be used for superheating and decomposing steam. At the time of heating up the fuelchanibers hot gaseous products containing carbonic oxide arepassed up through the oxidized metal scrap in the top of chamber 0 and deoxidizes it, the carbon of the carbonic oxide gas uniting with the oxygen of the oxidized metal, reduces the latter to the metallic state, so that it will be again in condition fordeconiposing steam. The oxidized metal produced by the passage of steam through it is thusrepeatedly revivified or changed to the metallic state by the passage of carbonic oxide or other carbureted gas through it, so that the same body of metal may be used over and over again for decomposing steam. The bodies of fuel and the superheating and fixing chambers being the second time properly heated, the airblasts are shut off, the caps at the tops of the stacks are closed, valve 6 closed and valve 6 opened. Then steam is superheated and decomposed by passage down through chamber 0 and the hot bed of fuel in chamber B, and the resulting gases are thence passed to the left, as illustrated in Fig. 3, up through the distilling coal in chamber B, taking up and carrying off gases and vapors from the coal and oil admitted to this chamber,and carrying them into the fixing-chamber F, where they are converted into a homogeneous fixed gas, as in the first instance. The operation of making gas is thus carried on alternately in opposite directions in the two generators, the steam always being admitted to and decomposed in the generator at the higher temperature, and the soft coal being always charged into and distilled in the generator at the lower temperature.

It is seen that by my process soft or bituminous coal is profitably distilled, and the rich illuminating-gases therefrom saved without the wasteful production of soot or lampblack, and that beds of coke are thus obtained for the subsequent decomposition of steam. During a run for the production of gas, one or several charges of soft coal may be dropped into the distilling-chamber, depending upon the size of the charges and the progress of the distillation. During the operation of firing up, the waste products of combustion are readily passed out of the stack Z, as its cap is open and the lower end of the gas-eduction pipe f is'sealed in the hydraulic box I; but while gas is being made the cap Z is tightly closed and the gas compelled to pass down through the iquid in the seal-box, and is thence passed off by pipe I to the place of storage or use. By passing the steam down through the fuel it spreads more uniformly through it, and is thus brought more intimately in contact with every portion of the carbon, and is therefore better decomposed and the fuel is better util- Having described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of generating gas, which consists in superheating steam, then passing it down through a body of incandescent or highly-heated fuel, where it is decomposed, resulting in the production of hydrogen, carbonic oxide, and a small per cent. of carbonic acid, then passing these gases up through a separate body of heated fuel, thereby converting the carbonic. acid into carbonic oxide and passing thgm through a charge of distilling soft coal for carrying off the rich gases therefrom, and finally converting them into a homogeneous fixed gas in a heated chamber.

2. The process of manufacturing gas, which consists in decomposing and superheating steam by passing it through a bed of heated ironscrap and heated brick-work, and then down through a body of incandescent or highly-heated fuel, then passing the resulting gases through a second body of heated fuel for converting any contained carbonic acid into carbonic oxide, then enriching the gases by passing them through a charge of distilling soft coal and by mixing with them the vapors-of liquid hydrocarbon, and finally converting them into a fixed gas by passing them through a heated fixing-chamber.

3. In a gas-generating apparatus, a generator having a fuel-chamber in its base, and a superheating-chamber filled with brick-work and a body of iron-scrap in its upper part, and having a coal-chute passing through its superheater, in combination with the blastpipes, the steam and oil inlet-pipes connected as described, and the coal-charging apparatus, as and for the purpose described.

4. The generator constructed with a fuelchamber,asuperheating-chamber asdescribed, and having the connected air-blast, steam and oil inlet-pipes, in combination with the fixingchamber, the connecting-pipe, water-box, and water-cooled valve, as and for the purpose described.

5. A gas-generating furnace having a fuelchamber in its base, and a superheating-chamber containing refractory material in its upper part, in combination with steam and oil pipes, and a coal-charging apparatus connecting with the superheater, an a second generator, a pipe connecting the two generators at the base. and a gas-eduction pipe connecting with the superheater, as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination of two generators, each having a fuel-chamber in its base, a superheater and chargingchute in its upper portion, with a pipe connecting them at the base, gas-outlet pipes having valves connecting the supcrheaters with the fixing-chamber, means for charging coal, and the air and steam connecting-pipes, as and for the purpose described.

7. The two fuel-chambers connected by a pipe at their base, and each having steam-inlet pipes connecting with them at their tops or above the fuel, in combination with the chutes and coal-charging apparatus, the gasfixing chamber, and the connecting gas-pipes from each fuel-chamber, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES E. LEADLEY. \Vitnesses:

WM. F. EALEE, D. SoMERs RISLEY. 

